Work in Progress Wednesday 4/19

A blog post! Finally! You guys have probably been wondering what on earth happened, radio silence for ages now! Well, I’ve had my head down making kid’s clothes for a friend, and to help me to clear out those stash boxes of left over fabrics, and the weather lured me out of doors! We had such beautiful, unseasonally hot weather at the end of February that I just couldn’t resist the siren call of the allotment!

It was luck that I hadn’t, to be honest, because now, at the beginning of March, I’m ready to sow seeds and plant stuff. Even if the weather has reverted to it’s usual windy, rainy self. So, now that the inclement weather is back, I’m back in the sewing room! Last week I had a proper sewing day and made 7 Rowan Tees by Misusu Patterns! It’s a free pattern for kids. I traced the sizes from the 98 or 3 year old, up to the 7 year old & raided my stash of leftover ponte, double jersey and quilted jersey. I made 3 of the smallest size, and randomly chose fabric and other sizes so I’d have enough for growing into, as well as fitting the older kid. Those were all the remains of the fabric after making Toaster Sweaters, Talvikki Sweaters and the LB Pullover. I’m very happy with my little pile, and will be distributing them amongst 3 kids.

But back on the sewing for normal humans – grown ups! I suddenly realised that daughter no 2 would be home this weekend for the week – reading week at uni, and I’d promised a bunch of toiles ready for fitting! Some patterns were ready to toile, others still needed to be traced – oops! So I’ve made a start with a pair of shorts, and today cut the toile for a dungaree dress, 115 from Burdastyle April 2017, and traced and cut the toile for the blouse, 111 from February 2018.

Dungaree dress 115Blouse 111

I also cut a top for my mum from her favourite Burda pattern (the fifth one this year!) and decided to experiment with viscose and the Kabuki Tee from Paper Theory. I toiled that pattern in February in the size 18, but decided I could afford to size down one. So, we’ll see if it works in viscose! I’ve seen plenty of cotton, nani iro, double gauze and linen versions, but ot viscose. Fingers crossed… By the way, has anyone seen the announcement that Tara is releasing a new pattern – a jumpsuit – either this week or next? I’m waiting with baited breath for this one, I really like the look of it when she made a version last summer. Let’s just say I’m on tenterhooks, waiting to pounce and hit that “pay now with PayPal” button as soon as it’s live! *edit* it’s live! Here’s the link if you’re remotely interested…

Fifth version of Mum’s favourite top pattern to be made this year.Kabuki Tee in viscose. Mad or inspired?

It’s due to rain tomorrow, so instead of getting really, really muddy, I’ll stay indoors and start sewing those toiles! I already have the fabric for the Burda patterns, so if I get those made up next week after fitting, it’ll be a good stash bust. I also found the #sewbibs hashtag on Instagram this week, a good push to make that dungaree dress, and possibly to finally trace and toile the Burnside Bibs for myself?? I already have the fabric for those too… It would tie in nicely with the other hashtag, #sewthatpatternnow. And of course, #makeyourstash. But I’ve been doing that one for a while now, and I’m only making very slow inroads into the stash boxes! Mostly because I keep hoarding the leftovers! Send help…

I’ll leave you with a picture of the Narcissus blooming on my allotment last week, before Storm Freya hit and flattened them, so I cut them and brought them indoors. My first harvest from the cutting garden this year!